Cyclists could be on another collision course with campaigners after being put at the heart of a push to boost Surrey’s profile with tourists.

The county council is looking to create its first tourism strategy plan as it believes the Olympics and other high-profile cycling events, such as Ride London-Surrey and the Tour of Britain, raise the county’s profile.

It wants to capitalise on the increased attention, both nationally and globally, these events bring on Surrey to upgrade, according to its own documents on the matter, the rather pedestrian reputation that the county suffers from.

He is petitioning to cut the number of cycle races in Surrey because of the damage he fears they create for local tradesmen, who are forced to close when infrastructure shuts down to accommodate the races.

Mr Huggins is also concerned that tourists could be squeezed out rather than drawn in if the current craze for cycling events carries on.

He said: “Where on earth are they going to put all these tourists who are supposed to be coming in when they have smothered the county with cycle races?

“People aren’t going to be able to get here.

“There were 307 cycle races allowed in a seven- month period. That is 11 a week. Roads are already saturated with racing cyclists. Where are they going to put the tourists?

“They won’t come with their shopping bags. I can’t see where they are going to put them at all.”

The document, which will go before Surrey County Council’s community select committee on Wednesday, states that the county is not seen as a destination and this needs to be changed.

This is based on evidence from the UK Travel Survey and International Passenger Survey, what it calls historic misconceptions about the suburban commuter belt and high-profile media descriptions of the county such as Jeremy Clarkson’s ‘London’s patio’ comments or the Lonely Planet Guide listing the county as ‘uninspiring and dull’.

To remedy this, the county council is seeking to ‘set a vision and demonstrate strategic leadership, research key target markets and develop a coherent Surrey brand’, while offering a focus on ‘quality and relevant themes’ such as walking, cycling, the natural environment, culture, heritage and business.

Key to this, it believes, is establishing Surrey as a centre for cycling and securing economic benefit from major events and cycle tourism. The proposals are currently at a draft stage and still need to work their way through to full council for approval.